Toni Ann Marletta, the 49 year old Leonardo woman charged in the July 8th hit and run incident which resulted in the death of Marissa Procopio, a 15 year old girl from Atlantic Highlands, was released from the Monmouth County Correctional Institution on Tuesday August 4 after posting $15,000, or 10% of her $150,000 bail.

Marletta was arrested on July 15 and charged with Leaving the Scene of a Motor Vehicle Accident, Failing to Report a Motor Vehicle Accident, No Insurance, Unsafe Tires and Leaving the Scene of a Fatal Motor Vehicle Accident. Her bail was set at $150,000.00 with no 10% option set by Judge Honora O’Brien-Kilgallen of the Monmouth County Superior Court.

Marletta’s bail was modified to allow a 10% option by Judge Francis Vernoia on July 23. She posted $15,000 on August 4th and was released from custody.

Marletta’s trial date will be set after she is indicted by a Grand Jury.

Anthony “Nygee” Stevenson, a 48 year old Long Branch restaurateur , was sentenced to 50 years in state prison today by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge John T. Mullaney, Jr, according to a statement by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christoper J. Gramiccioni.

Stevenson was convicted by a Monmouth County Jury in May on 91 counts of selling drugs and guns out of his Long Branch restaurant, Christabell’s American Soul Food Restaurant. He has been incarcerated at the Monmouth County Correction Insitution since his August 1, 2011 arrest, according to the Sheriff’s Office website. He will be eligible for parole in 26 years.

Gregory Rittman, 50, of Howell Township, was Indicted by a Monmouth County Grand Jury this week on 12 counts of Sexual Assault, Endangering the Welfare of a Child and Lewdness, according to a statement by Acting Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Rittman was arrested on Friday, Oct. 24, 2014, after authorities received a report from an employee at a McDonald’s that described lewd behavior witnessed by an 8-year-old juvenile, near the sink in the men’s bathroom of the restaurant. Rittman was charged with one count each of second degree Sexual Assault, third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child, fourth degree Lewdness and a disorderly persons charge of Harassment. He was released after posting $73,000 bail with no 10-percent option, as set by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Teresa A. Kondrup-Coyle, J.S.C.

FREEHOLD — A Superior Court judge on Friday dismissed charges against a Tinton Falls man whose Facebook posts in the wake of two New York City police shootings last year said cops deserved to die. Saying his online speech is constitutionally protected, Assignment Judge Lisa Thornton cleared Matthew Reardon, 29, of all charges, said his attorney,… Read the rest of this entry »

Johan J. Murrieta, 20, of the 300 block of 8th Avenue in Asbury Park, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with 4 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, according to a statement by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

A series of CyberTips received from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children indicating child pornography was being distributed electronically lead to an investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Computer Crimes Unit, Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force which revealed that on three separate days, images of child pornography were distributed using three different email accounts – all the accounts were accessed by an individual using an IP address associated with Murrieta’s home.

Mickey Major, 54, of Howell Township and a former dispatcher for the Monmouth County Special Citizens Assisted Transportation (SCAT) buses, pleaded guilty to Obstruction of Justice after admitting that he shredded fare envelopes while the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office was investigating the collection of fares, according to a statement by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Major worked as dispatcher at the Center Street, Freehold location of the Monmouth County Division of Transportation, where he dispatched SCAT buses, but was also tasked with reconciling fare reports with the actual fare amounts collected and reported by the drivers. On Sept. 16, 2014, detectives arrived at the Center Street location and discovered Major shredded the envelopes and fled from the office in his vehicle.

Albert DeCresci, 86, a resident of the Seabrook retirement community in Tinton Falls and formerly of Rumson, was charged with Second Degree Sexual Assault and Third Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child after being caught in the act of sexually assaulting a 13 year old boy, according to a statement by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

DeCresci was arrested in a Seabrook dining room by the Tinton Falls Police Department on June 5, 2015. He is in custody of the Monmouth County Correctional Institution where he is being held on $250,000 bail with no 10% option as set by Judge Honora O’Brien Kilgallen, J.S.C. O’Brien Kilgallen ordered that DeCresci have no contact with the alleged victim in the event that he makes bail.

Investigators are urging any additional victims to come forward by contacting Detective Delisa Brazile, of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-620-4045, or Detective Robert Wilson, of the Tinton Falls Police Department at 732-542-3400 ext. 443.

Nicholas DePue, 29 of Jackson, a teacher at Monmouth Regional High School, surrendered to authorities on Wednesday on charges that he had inappropriate sexual contact with a student under the age of 18, according to a statement by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

DePue is charged with second degree counts of Sexual Assault and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. He was released after posting a $100,000 bond, as set by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Jamie Perri, J.S.C., who also ordered DePue have no contact with his victim and he is not to return to the scene of his crimes.

A College Prep Biology teacher, DePue was an Assistant Coach of the Falcons wrestling team and a set designer for the school’s drama club.

Ken Pringle, who was mayor of the oceanfront borough for 20 years before Doherty took over in 2011, isn’t sure how many times he’s sued Doherty and the borough since he left office. “Four or five, I’m not sure.”

Both Doherty and Pringle, who served together for four years, are Democrats. Doherty was a councilman during Pringle’s last term as mayor.

At issue is the beachfront and money.

Pringle contends that Doherty and the Council are using the Beach Utility Fund to subsidize borough operations and to keep property taxes artificially low, in violation of the Public Trust Doctrine. Doherty says that while Pringle was mayor Belmar’s property taxpayers subsidized the beach and that Pringle raised taxes 14 years in a row. Doherty has not increased Belmar’s taxes since becoming mayor, keeping the borough’s spending flat at 2010 levels.

Two Neptune Township men arrested last week after a month-long investigation revealed they were in possession of 600 decks of heroin ready for sale and three guns; a AR-15 assault rifle, a defaced 9mm handgun and a .40-caliber handgun have been released after posting bail, according to a statement by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Kahil Aziz, 25, already a convicted felon, was released after posting $235,000 bail as set by Neptune Township Municipal Court Judge Robin Wernik. Joel Jones, 30, was released after posting $200,000 bail as set by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Honora O’Brien Kilgallen. No 10% bail option was available to either defendant.